Obama action falls short of the rhetoric

The U.S.has witnessed more than five years of Barack Obama as president and numerous State of The Union addresses.

One thing that can be said of him regarding the oil and gas industry is his consistency. He consistently promises to reduce red tape surrounding new permits for oil and gas exploration and drilling, and this has yet to happened.

He promises to, from Tuesday's address, "keep working with industry to sustain production and job growth." We have not seen this yet. And he never fails to take credit for the oil and gas domestic revolution that America is experiencing.

Him referencing that he would "keep working" with the industry has much of the oil and gas industry scratching their heads in wonder of how this has been done?

Although the president praised the oil and gas industry in his rhetoric, he quickly promoted his onerous tax policies, saying he would like to "eliminate $4 billion in tax subsidies for the fossil fuel industries that don't need it." Again, although he recognizes the industry's contribution to our nation's economic recovery, his policies say the opposite.

In his 2013 SOTU address he promised to "keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and natural gas permits." Not only has this not happened, but his administration has done just the opposite by delaying and canceling many of the permits that have been submitted.

The Keystone XL pipeline, a proposed pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico that would provide more than 20,000 jobs and billions of dollars to our national economy, has been hung up in the political system. Secretary of State John Kerry, charged with approving the Keystone, said recently that "the United States would not be pushed into making a decision." After five years in office, the Keystone has not been approved.

In President Obama's 2010 SOTU address, he pushed for opening more coastal waters for drilling. Specifically, he talked of waters from Delaware to the Central Florida coast- 167 million more acres of ocean floor. It is now 2014 and this has yet to occur.

And finally, although the president continues to take credit for the energy revolution in the U.., the credit should be given to the hard-working men and women of the American oil and gas industry who give their time, energy and focus on creating an energy secure United States.

Yes, the U.S. produced more oil domestically than was imported. Yes, the U.S. now has more than a 100-year supply of natural gas thanks to the advancements in lateral drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

But, we still live in a capitalistic free market, which allows no one man to take credit. If the president desires to see our country flourish, it is time for the oil and gas industry to see his rhetoric turn into action.

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Obama action falls short of the rhetoric

The U.S.has witnessed more than five years of Barack Obama as president and numerous State of The Union addresses.